Thursday, August 02, 2012

By now the story is well known: when Massachusetts Democrats challenged Romney's residency in Massachusetts as he geared up to run for governor in early 2002, Romney first said that he had maintained at least part-time Massachusetts residency during his years in Utah running the Olympics. He retroactively altered his tax returns to reflect that claim. When it came to light that he had gained a $54,000 tax break by claiming his Utah home as his primary residence, he said that that filing was the result of a clerical error. When reporters questioned whether he'd also profited on his income taxes by declaring Utah residency, Romney first said that he would respond to questions posed in writing. When those questions were submitted,

Romney's spokesman, Eric Fehrnstrom, said that Romney would not be
responding because "he values his privacy and his wife's privacy." A few minutes later, pressed on whether he benefited financially in
Utah by filing as a resident there and a nonresident in Massachusetts,
he said: "That's as far as I'm telling you, that's it. That's the
answer I'm going to give you, and that's all I got" (Boston Globe, 6/8/02, "Tax Benefit Unclear and Candidate Mum").

Of course that pattern of behavior now looks very familiar. Also according to now-familiar type: Romney's response to being subject to scrutiny. During his testimony before the Massachusetts Ballot Commission, his attorney drew the waterworks. The Boston Globe's Stephanie Ebbert reported on June 19, 2002 ("Romney Taxes Show No 'Domicile')":

A defiant Romney
- who was on the stand for nearly 2 1/2 hours yesterday - grew
emotional during questioning by his lawyer, when asked about Democrats'
suggestions that he has not been truthful about his personal information
and residency.

"Well, it really makes me feel sick, to tell
you the truth. There's nothing . . . ," he said, then paused for about
10 seconds and looked down, appearing to tear up.

"There's
nothing more important to me than my reputation for integrity," he
continued. "I inherited a great reputation from my mother and father,
and I plan on giving one to my kids."

It's hard to pass on such legacy when you're caught out lying. From the same Globe story:

Romney
acknowledged under oath yesterday that he filed income taxes as a
part-time resident of Massachusetts in 1999 and a nonresident in 2000.

In April, after he announced he would run for governor, he amended
the returns to claim Massachusetts residency, he confirmed under oath.
When the Globe first raised the issue, Romney initially said he had filed as a resident of both states. He later revised that position.

Democrats also yesterday introduced an affidavit from a Utah reporter who wrote in 2000 that Romney
had told her he had declared his Utah house "his primary residence for
tax purposes." Deseret News reporter Lisa Riley Roche provided an
affidavit stating that the article was, to her knowledge, a "fair and
accurate representation" of what Romney told her in an interview. Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said Romney had been talking about his status as a Utah resident for income tax purposes, not property taxes.

Change your story and status retroactively; stonewall and cry persecution when called out for it. Sound familiar?

According to a recent Globe article, Romney maintained his status as CEO and President of Bain from 1999-2002 in large part to negotiate a lucrative severance package. While in Utah, he tried to keep his options open and indicated that he might run for office in either state. When Democrats challenged his MA residence in 2002, he and his attorney talked up his engagement with business in MA, e.g., as a still-active board member in at least one Bain portfolio company (LifeLike, a dollmaker) and one former Bain co. (Staples). But when attacked over Bain's actions in 1999-2002 during the campaign, he came emphasized that he was not actively involved in any decision-making. Meanwhile, on the tax front, according to this Times article http://nyti.ms/NO2BcR dated 6/8/2002, "Mr. Romney insisted until Thursday that he had paid his taxes as a Massachusetts resident during his three years in Utah. Then he acknowledged that in 1999 and 2000 he paid his state taxes as a Utah resident and listed himself as nonresident of Massachusetts."

The economy is improving, turn off Fox and pick up a copy of Forbes. EMPLOYMENT will come when the "job creators" get off their duffs and start hiring. If "low taxes on the job creators" is supposed to create jobs, then why haven't we seen ANY since the Bush tax cuts went into effect? And remember - it's not OBAMA who writes the bills that have to "create" anything - that's your do nothing congress's job, only THEY have the power to spend money. Inflation comes when no one has money to purchase, therefore those "job creators" who won't hire, are showing their greed by raising the price of anything and everything. They figure you have no other choice but to purchase their goods right? GM is in business - their "bondholders" will get their money back in time, and that is a whole hella lot better than getting NO MONEY at all if they went our of business. Check your facts - Solyndra was green lighted by the Bush administration, they only had to submit more paperwork before Obama took office, and they had been green lighted ALREADY. Turn off Fox news man - over 85% of ALL American business's use SOME FORM of government help. Obama was talking about the ROADS when he said "you didn't make that", it's so nice how you can believe anything that is hobbled and edited together like it is fact. Bet you believed the Acorn tapes too huh? You've had enough? I hear there is a great country to the NORTH called Canada, and a nice warm climate to the south called MEXICO. I hear the latter is even hiring for their police department. Have at it.

Reid is Right as Rain: and Willard is all Wet. ‘Cause we all have a damn RIGHT to see a Presidential Candidate’s tax returns! Confession is good for the soul Mitt. So Relax, Repent, and Release your Returns, Mr. Romney …OR… just Return... to playing with your pet dancing ponies! No problem. We’ll understand. Unless… perhaps….just perhaps…you’re hiding something dear Willard? Just asking. P.S. By the way, Mr. Mitt: just how DID you manage to stuff all those millions into your tax-loophole IRA account?… while the REST of us poor smucks have strict limits? Inquiring minds want to know. And you want even MORE tax cuts Mitt?... for you and your rich buddies? WHAT GALL! These fat cats aren’t satisfied - they want it ALL! …EVERYTHING!!But tell me, just how many silver spoons can you really stuff into your smirking mouths? Mitt baby -please- take my advice: if you want to run for dog-catcher THEN keep your precious returns, … and just clean off your car roof. ￼ OTHERWISE, put up, …or shut up and go away ….preferably BEFORE the convention. The super-rich think that they have the God-given right to do anything they want in this great country -while the REST of us get screwed! ENOUGH!!! The divine right of kings ended a long long time ago Mitt. And so should your sorry sorry excuse for a candidacy.

About Me

I'm a freelance writer focused mainly on the unfolding drama of Affordable Care Act implementation and health reform more generally.
I have a Ph.D. in medieval English literature and a propensity to parse the rhetoric and logic of our political leaders as well as that of media pundits and scholars who jump into the national debate. I wrote a dissertation on the remarkably humane and subtle medieval English anchorite Julian of Norwich, a mystic nun whose knack of squaring circles and framing paradoxes reminds me a little of our current president. A sampling of that work (mind the google gaps) is here: http://bit.ly/OzwsrR